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About six months ago, my family moved into a new, custom-built home. Designing and building a brand new home for our family was one of the biggest adventures of our lives. And I have to say that it’s been totally worth it! I’m so glad that we decided to go this route.
I started this blog for other people who are considering a custom-built home. I want to share what I learned about how to save money, get financing, and make plans to build a dream home of your very own. With the right information, you too can have the custom built home of your dreams.

5 Things Consumers Should Never Flush Down Their Toilets

Posted on:
18 December 2014

There are a number of things that people know they should not flush down their toilets. Feminine hygiene products are one product that likely comes to mind. There are other materials that are used every day that may seem harmless if you go solely by their appearance. A number of consumers have found out the hard way that flushing these materials can wreak havoc on their plumbing systems and create the need for companies like Forrest Sewer Pump Service. Read on to discover 5 things that you should never flush down your toilet.

Paper Towels

They resemble the appearance of toilet paper, but toilet paper is designed to degrade in plumbing systems, which aids in preventing clogs. Paper towels are not bio-degradable. Flush enough of them, and you will eventually get clogs. Prepare to have an overflowing toilet too. If you give out of toilet paper and use paper towels as an emergency replacement, discard them in a trash can.

Pet Fish

It may seem harmless to flush a dead fish down the toilet. Depending on the size of the fish, you could end up with a clog. Dead organisms can contain harmful bacteria, and some fish die as a result of disease. Flushing dead fish can contaminate your septic system. Bag the fish, and discard them in the trash, or you can put them in a plastic bowl with a lid, and bury them.

Flushable Wipes

This one may be a surprise. After all, the containers of these specialty wipes advise consumers that they are safe to flush. Two major municipalities in the U.S. reported that flushable wipes had wreaked havoc on their city sewer systems costing millions of dollars in damages. Think about what the wipes could do if they get trapped in your plumbing system. You can continue using the wipes, but throw them away in a trash can.

Kitty Litter

It contains waste, and humans flush their waste down toilets. This is why some people assume flushing kitty litter is harmless. Kitty litter is made of sand or clay, which are both earth materials. Soiled litter also contains toxic substances due to the urine and excrement present in it. You likely would not dump dirt into your toilet, so the same rule applies to cat litter. If you dump the litter into the toilet, it will clump and cause clogs. It may even harden inside of the system and require extensive plumbing to clear the line.

Dental Floss

Its thin appearance is what makes seem harmless. If you have a clog in your system, the stringy floss will attach the clog material and make it larger. The more you flush the bigger the clog will get. Think about a huge ball of yarn. This is what the clog could resemble after a period of time. Floss is not biodegradable, and consumers should only be flushing bio-degradable materials down their toilets.